Tour Bus Crash On Highway Near Hanoi, One Dead, Eighteen Injured As Bus Skids

Hanoi, Vietnam— A tour bus carrying 32 tourists skidded on a rain-slicked stretch of the Hanoi-Haiphong Expressway at 8:05 a.m. Tuesday, slammed into a concrete divider, and flipped onto its side, killing one passenger and injuring 18.

The bus was en route from Halong Bay to Hanoi after an overnight cruise tour. Heavy overnight rain left a film of oil and water on the fast lane. Police said the driver braked to avoid a slower truck ahead, lost traction, and overcorrected.

One woman, a 58-year-old Vietnamese tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, was thrown through a window and died at the scene. Eighteen others suffered fractures, head wounds, and lacerations. Seven were in serious condition. The rest escaped with minor injuries.

"We were sleeping. The bus shook, then tilted. Luggage fell on us. People shouted," said a survivor, Tran Van Huy, 41, who was seated near the middle and crawled out through the rear emergency exit.

Highway patrol closed two lanes for four hours while cranes righted the bus. Traffic backed up six kilometers. The bus company, Viet Travel Express, said the driver had 15 years experience and the vehicle’s tires were replaced last month.

"The road was very slick. We measured friction and found diesel residue. Speed was around 85 km/h, below limit, but too fast for conditions," a highway police officer said at the scene. He asked not to be named because the formal report is pending.

Vietnam’s expressway network has expanded rapidly, but safety audits lag. Tour bus crashes spike during monsoon season when roads flood and drivers work long shifts. The Ministry of Transport said it would review speed enforcement on that section.

Injured tourists were taken to Viet Duc Hospital and Hanoi General Hospital. Embassy staff from South Korea were notified because three passengers were Korean nationals.

The bus was impounded for brake and tire inspection. The driver is under observation in hospital and will be questioned once released.

Investigators plan to pull dashcam and toll gate footage to reconstruct the sequence before filing any negligence case.